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Meet the Philippine national netball team

The Philippine netball team. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)
The Philippine netball team. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)

At first glance, it seems like an ordinary women's basketball game going on at the British School Manila. The players are hustling around whipping the ball at a quick pace, trying to feed it into the hoop.

Then you notice the differences. All the players are wearing dresses. The players don't dribble the ball. The shots are all taken within a semi circle near the hoop. The shooting technique looks strange. Nobody runs into anybody.

And then the biggest, most visible difference: what happened to the backboard?

Welcome to netball. This game may seem odd for Filipinos, but it's actually one of the most popular games for women all around the world. And it has now reached our shores.

After visits and demonstration from the Asian Netball Federation and the Singapore federation last year, Netball Philippines, soon to be a national sports authority, was born and a national team was created. Singapore hosted a training camp for the girls as well last December. The team looks set to fly the flag in the upcoming SEA Games later this year.

“I want netball to be one of the most popular team sports in the country for girls after volleyball,” says Charlie Ho, Netball Philippines' president.

Netball Philippines president Charlie Ho. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)
Netball Philippines president Charlie Ho. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)



First, a bit of history. Netball began as an offshoot of basketball sometime in the end of the nineteenth century in England. It was and is primarily a women's game that is really only played by men occasionally and recreationally. It is massively popular among ladies young and old all over the Commonwealth, the collective name for countries who used to be part of the British empire, excluding the United States. That means it's a thing in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, and in several Pacific Island nations like Fiji and Samoa. Supposedly it is played by 20 million women all over the world.

There is also netball all over Africa and in parts of the Carribbean. In Asia it is also played in China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Maldives, Pakistan, and others. Singapore is a powerhouse in ASEAN with over 60 clubs and an astonishing 80,000 players.

There are semi-pro or pro teams in Australia, New Zealand and in the UK.

And now the rules. If you're a hoops fan, this is where things get weird. Yes, the object of the game is the same: to get the rock into the hoop (for one point), but almost everything else is different.

National netball team players engage in a scrimmage. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)
National netball team players engage in a scrimmage. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)



The game is played seven-a-side in a court slightly larger than that of a basketball court. The seven players have specific roles and tasks, and each position is limited by the rules into specific areas on the court, which is split up into thirds. The positions are Goal Attack, Goal Shooter, Centre, Wing Attack, Wing Defence, Goal Defence, and Goal Keeper. (Note the anglophone spellings of “centre” and “defence.”)

You cannot dribble, and you must pass or shoot after holding the ball for three seconds. Bounce passes are allowed. When you catch the ball you land and pivot on one foot.

And here comes perhaps the hugest, massivest departure from basketball: only two of the seven players can score, the Goal Attack and Goal Shooter. And once they receive the ball they must not take steps or jump while shooting, and the defender must stand three feet away, similarly planted on the ground. She can wave her hands and block the shot, though. There is no backboard on the basket.

(The part about only two players being able to shoot may seem very odd to a basketball fan, but to be honest, I can name a few UAAP hoops teams that seem to play by that rule in every game.)

In general, netball is a game with little or no physical contact, which makes it appealing to many girls and their parents.

Games are sixty minutes long, split up into four fifteen-minute quarters. Substitutions and position changes are only allowed during the breaks between quarters.

It seems that standard netball attire is a one-piece dress.

And now the team. The Philippine squad is composed of former hoops players like UST's Rem Buenacosa, and ex-Volleyball players like DLSU's Michelle Datuin. Datuin remains involved in the administrative side of volleyball with PLDT but the netball bug has bitten her hard, and she is excited about the possibility of the SEA Games. Sae-Ann Gallegos-Aquino, a former UP hoopster and volleybelle and wife of Patrick Aquino, women's national basketball team coach, is also a part of the roster.

Former La Salle volleyball player Michelle Datuin has shifted to netball. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)
Former La Salle volleyball player Michelle Datuin has shifted to netball. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)



It seems that the basketball players are mainly the attackers and the volleyball players are on the defensive side of the ball.

Supporting the team is head coach Piao Fedillaga, also a newcomer to the sport, and Bea Gonzalez, the General Secretary of Netball Philippines. A vital part of the team's support staff is consultant Fran Howarth, an Englishwoman who is a physical education teacher in International School Manila and a former player. During the scrimmage she dons a vest for a play or two and drills in a basket immediately.

Howarth is impressed with how quickly the girls have taken to the game.

“Their ball-handling skills are good. Better than the average beginner,” she says.

The team practices among themselves and have also played games against teams of ISM and BSM faculty members. In the beginning the faculty team would win, says Fedillaga, but after a while, once the nationals got a hang of the tactics, their superior fitness would prevail.

International School Manila instructor Fran Howarth is a consultant of the national netball team. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)
International School Manila instructor Fran Howarth is a consultant of the national netball team. (Photo by Bob Guerrero)



Ho says that the team will be sent to the SEA Games because only six nations will participate and there will be two bronze medals on offer, so chances are realistic that the team will medal. Apparently Brunei are not particularly strong and Thailand may also beatable.

But Ho, who is both a lawyer and an optometrist, says that funding is needed.

“Everyone here is a volunteer,” he affirms. The team will receive some support from the Asian Netball Federation, but other expenses are looming. Fortunately Atleta has come in as a uniform supplier. Atleta's proprietor, Jericho Ilagan, is a pal of Fedillaga, who is a former women's hoops coach.

“They play for the love of it,” says Gonzalez. “Once you play netball, you'll really enjoy it.”

After the netball practice I go down to the ground floor of the British School where I bump into old friends from the Loyola Meralco Sparks, Simon Greatwich and coach Simon McMenemy. They have just finished a session of their football academy on the BSM basketball court. When I mention netball, the faces of the two Simons light up.

“It's a great game, really fast-paced. You have to be super-fit to play it.” says McMenemy, an Englishman.

“In school the boys used to challenge the girls netball team to games. I loved playing the centre position and pulling the strings,” enthuses fellow Brit Greatwich, who is also with the Azkals.

“I'l get some friends together and we'll give them, (the netballers) a game,” adds Greatwich.

Greatwich is, of course, buddies and teammates on Loyola and the Azkals with Phil and James Younghusband. For sure kuya Chris Greatwich can be roped in as well.

Azkals versus the Philippine netball team? Why not? That would be a great boost to a promising sport that has a huge upside for Filipinas.

If you would like to support Philippine Netball, email Charlie Ho at atty.charlie@gmail.com or like the team's official FB page.

Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH.